Zoey 101: An Unexpected Encounter

Chapter 9

Zoey didn’t know whether to slap Chase right on his cheek, or beg him to kiss her again. In the end, she decided to do neither.

Instead, she simply gave up.

Yep, gave up. Definitely not two words she’d ever expected to find in her vocabulary, but damn it, what else was she supposed to do? She couldn’t fight him anymore. Couldn’t keep opening her heart up only to have him tell her what a mistake the two of them were.

"I think…" She swallowed the lump of agony in the back of her throat before attempting to speak again. "I think you’re right."

Surprise flickered in Chase's green eyes. "I am?"

Zoey blinked back the tears threatening to spill over. "This is a mistake. Not just the kiss, but…" Her gaze landed on the crumpled piece of paper lying on the floor by their feet, the sadistic message from the man who’d killed her parents. "I shouldn’t have asked you to guard me. I…I can’t be around you, Chase"

The second she said the words, a crash of thunder echoed from outside the house, followed by the sound of rain slapping against the front porch. It was almost as if the weather was protesting her decision, voicing its disapproval. But to hell with it. She was done chasing after this man.

A note of sorrow entered his voice. "Zoey—"

"No, don’t bother with another apology." Bitterness climbed up her spine, weighing down on her shoulders. God, she was so pathetic. Back then, at least she’d had her age as an excuse. Twenty- one year-old girl all starry-eyed over her older, attractive savior. But now? She was twenty-three. Old enough to know better than to throw herself at a man who obviously wasn’t interested.

Her chest aching, she turned away from him, discreetly wiping at the lone tear that had slid down her cheek.

"Make the call," she murmured, keeping her back to him.

"What call?" he said warily.

"The bodyguard you hired. Call him, get him to come back."

It hurt like hell, saying the words, officially letting Chase go, but she had no other choice. Maybe it was a good thing he’d come back into her life, even for such a brief time. At least now she could put the past to rest, and finally accept that she and Chase Matthews would never be together. Say goodbye to silly girlhood fantasies and look for a man who actually wanted to be in her life.

The tears suddenly fell in earnest, making her feel ashamed. Damn it, she would not cry over this man again. Swiping at her cheeks, she abruptly moved to the front door, mumbling, "I need to be alone for a minute."

"It’s raining," Chase protested as she reached for the door handle.

"I like the rain," she murmured back, then hurried out the door.

…

Chase stood frozen in the front hall, shocked by what had just happened. The mind–blowing kiss. Zoey’s sudden turnaround, telling him to call another bodyguard. He could hardly wrap his mind around it, and the ache in his chest didn’t help. He wished things could be different, that he was different. But he’d never been good at relationships. He always managed to hurt the women in his life and, damn it, he didn’t want to hurt Zoey. That was the reason he’d kept his distance from her, then and now.

And yet he’d hurt her. Then and now.

He lingered in the hall for a long moment, until he heard another loud roll of thunder.

What the hell was he thinking, letting her go out there alone when there was a killer on the loose?! Some freaking bodyguard he was.

He’d barely taken two steps toward the door when he heard a faint scream slice through the rain.

Blood draining from his face, he threw open the door and ran outside.